I was a sophomore in my last year as a student at Henderson City High School. The following fall my family relocated to Chicago, Illinois. This would be the last time I would see this "ICON" at a basketball game.

     The date was April 27, 1961. For the second year in a row the Harlem Magicians & a local & state all-star team that basically consisted of a Kentucky who's who's in Kentucky High School former basketball greats would clash on this warm Saturday night. The Henderson All-Stars starting five were comprised team Captain Don Gish, King Kelly Coleman, the 1956 National high school player of the year, Lyle "Redeye" Dunbar, Benny Horrell, & Pascal Benson. The rest of the team members were Byron Pinson, Billy Brown, David Eakins, & Winfred Thompson. Former 7 footer, 2 time University of Kentucky all-American Bill Spivey was initally named as a member of this elite Henderson all-star team, but a prior commitment prevented him from joining the team. Little did they know on that night they didn't need him. This group of all-stars would play 60 minutes of grueling basketball on the hardwood floor at the Henderson City High Gym before a sellout crowd of 5,500 fans. This was as close to a professional basketball game that you were ever going to see in this part of Kentucky, and I assure you from first hand experience, it was one helluva basketball game. As a youth, and in my adult days, I still today, believe this was the best basketball game I personally witnessed. Gish, Benson, Brown, Pinson, Eakins are all ex-Barret/Henderson City graduates. The remainder of the all-star team was made up of former Kentucky high school all-state performers.

     The Harlem Magicians were comprised of Marcus Haynes, Sweetwater Clifton, Goose Tatum, Curly O'Neal and others.

     Kelly Coleman told the Magicians that this game was going to be played  serious, or he would not play. The Harlem Magicians knew little about the basketball prowess of Kentucky's all-time greatest high school player, but as the game ended, they knew first-handed who the real King of basketball was.

     In case most of you don't remember or were not aware of, that cast of all-stars led by King Kelly Coleman (33 points) & Don Gish (24 points, 21 rebounds), beat the Harlem Magicians 82-75. The Henderson all-stars victory ended an 189 game win streak for the Harlem Magicians. Keep in mind that prior to this game this group of all-stars never played together as a team. The team was hand-picked by former Henderson Barret/Kentucky Wesleyan standout Don Gish. This Henderson All-Star group was not to be out done by anyone on this balmy spring night. 

    These hand-picked Henderson All-Stars had enough talent to play as a pro team. It's a shame that someone come up with that idea in 1961.